Bills-Seahawks Gameday

Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball after making a catch against the St. Louis Rams at Ralph Wilson Stadium earlier this month. The Bills host the Seattle Seahawks at the Rogers Centre on Sunday, as part of the Bills in Toronto series. (Getty Images/Files)

With a victory over Buffalo and a New England win over San Francisco in the Sunday night prime timer, the Seahawks would find themselves in a home showdown with the 49ers next Sunday night and the NFC West on the line. It would also greatly enhance their NFC wild-card hopes.

What a Buffalo win means

With a victory, the Bills would move to 6-8 and have a real shot at the type of season that has defined them lately: Finishing as a barely mediocre .500 team with little hope of attaining more. Buffalo closes out its season with games against divisional lightweights Miami and the Jets.

Spiller thrills

With a rushing effort of 56 yards on Sunday, Bills running back C.J. Spiller would hit the 1,000 mark for the first time in his career. Not bad for a guy who has had just 144 carries.

The crowd rises

The notoriously sleepy Toronto football crowd surprised some with the way it rallied behind the Argos in the Grey Cup. Hard to imagine a legion of Seahawks fans around the GTA, so is it possible that the Bills get the closest thing to a “home” crowd in this their fifth visit to the Rogers Centre?

The trap snaps

The Seahawks find themselves in a tricky spot here, riding the high of a 58-0 blowout of Arizona, one of the most one-sided games in NFL history, and looking ahead to the showdown with San Fran. The Bills may be underachieving, but can be dangerous in such a situation.

STAR POWER TO LOOK FOR

Russell Wilson Sea QB

Almost any other season, sensational Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson would be touted as the leading candidate for rookie of the year. Living in the shadow of Indy’s Andrew Luck and Washington’s Robert Griffin III has basically musted those chances, but if the Seahawks continue on their current path, there’s a chance Wilson could his take his team deeper than the other two. The under-sized QB has thrived under coach Pete Carroll and has a shot of breaking the single-season record for touchdown tosses by a rookie. .

Marshawn Lynch Sea RB

A first-round pick by the Bills in 2007, Lynch has already set a career high in rushing yards (1,266) with three games remaining and is second in the NFL to Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson. A powerful back who has handled the heavy workload, Lynch has established the Seahawks ground game to help his rookie QB develop. Now he faces his former team and a run defence that has improved in recent weeks..

C.J. Spiller Buf RB

He makes the star power list on the assumption, dangerous as it may be, that Bills coach Chan Gailey will give him the ball often enough to be a factor. Spiller is averaging a bulky 6.6 yards per carry — the best in the league by a running back — and if he can maintain those numbers on a heavier workload, the Bills have upset potential.

Mario Williams Buf DE

The notoriously sleepy Toronto football crowd surprised some with the way it rallied behind the Argos in the Grey Cup. Hard to imagine a legion of Seahawks fans around the GTA, so is it possible that the Bills get the closest thing to a “home” crowd in this their fifth visit to the Rogers Centre?

ROAD PAINS

The Seattle Seahawks are undefeated at home, but by their record, anyway, appear to have struggled on the road where they are 2-5. A closer look at those losses, however, reveals some heartbreaking endings that could come back to haunt them in the final three weeks of the season. Here’s a look at four that got away.

Arizona 20, Seattle 16

Never mind that the Cards have emerged as a serious candidate for the NFL’s worst, this Week 1 loss was heartbreaking in that rookie Russell Wilson had three incompletions from the Arizona four-yard line in the game’s final 30 seconds.

St. Louis 19, Seattle 13

A late interception by Wilson spoiled the comeback bid as the Rams winning margin was sealed by field goals of 60- and 58-yards.

Detroit 28, Seattle 24

The Lions scored the winning touchdown with just 20 seconds left in the clock, spoiling the lead the ‘Hawks had reclaimed five minutes earlier. The winning Titus Young TD came on a third-down play.

Miami 24, Seattle 21

Not exactly an AFC East heavyweight, the Dolphins gutted the Seahawks on the final play of the game when Miami’s Dan Carpenter connected on a 43-yard field goal.

WILD, WILD WORLD

Bills fans can only wish they were in a playoff race, clinging as they are to a mathematical hope. The Seahawks, meanwhile are in the thick of a wild, wild-card race in the NFC. Here’s a look at the top five contenders for those two available playoff spots.

Bills fans can only wish they were in a playoff race, clinging as they are to a mathematical hope. The Seahawks, meanwhile are in the thick of a wild, wild-card race in the NFC. Here’s a look at the top five contenders for those two available playoff spots.

1. Seattle Seahawks (8-5)

At some point Pete Carroll’s crew will need another convincing road win to prove they are playoff material. Taking advantage of a Bills team that is a 51/2-point underdog could be crucial given the tightness of the race.

2. Chicago Bears (8-5)

Injuries, inconsistency and offensive struggles have seen the Bears slip from potential favourites in the NFC North to scrappers for a wild-card spot. They face a big test against Green Bay this week and a home win would tie the rivals for first in the division.

3. Washington Redskins (7-6)

Just as RG3 fever was reaching hyperbolic levils, the electric Redskins quarterback is injured. They’ll have to survive without him for at least this week’s game in Cleveland.

4. Dallas Cowboys (7-6)

Almost incredibly given the up and down season, the ‘Boys are still alive heading into this week’s home meeting with Pittsburgh, another team desperate for a win.

5. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)

Somehow still in the playoff hunt as the Vikings are determined not to waste the sensational season of running back Adrian Peterson.

TOUCHDOWN TOSSERS

If sensational Seattle rookie Russell Wilson can average two passing TDs over his final three games, he’ll become the most productive rookie QB in NFL history. Here’s a look at the top touchdown-tossing rookie QBs in NFL history:

Player Team Year TDs

Peyton Manning Indianapolis 1998 26

Charlie Conerly New York Giants 1948 22

Cam Newton Carolina 2011 21

Russell Wilson Seattle 2012 20

Andy Dalton Cincinnati 2011 20

Robert Griffin III Washington 2012 18

Andrew Luck Indianapolis 2012 18

DOME FIELD

Top five attended football games at Rogers Centre since Bills in Toronto Series began.

1. Grey Cup, 2012

A boisterous crowd of 53,208 watched the Argonauts win the 100th Grey Cup.

2. Bills vs. Dolphins, 2008

Regular-season kickoff of series and first NFL regular-season game in Canada draws announced crowd of 52,134. Dolphins win, 16-3.

3. Bills vs. Redskins, 2011

In the final season of the pre-RG3 era, the ’Skins attract 51,579 to the dome and the Bills get their first regular-season win here, a 23-0 shutout.

4. Bills vs. Jets, 2009

An announced crowd of 51,567 as organizers slashed prices of some tickets in reaction to outrage previous year. Bills fall to 0-2 in T.0. with a 19-13 loss.

5. Bills vs. Bears, 2010

The first NFC foe — and a team with a strong national following — attracts 50,746 to see the Bills lose again, 22-19. Presence of those Bears fans leads to complaints from several Bills players prior to the next year’s game about the lack of home-field advantage.

Bills-Seahawks Gameday

With a victory over Buffalo and a New England win over San Francisco in the Sunday night prime timer, the Seahawks would find themselves in a home showdown with the 49ers next Sunday night and the NFC West on the line. It would also greatly enhance their NFC wild-card hopes.

What a Buffalo win means

With a victory, the Bills would move to 6-8 and have a real shot at the type of season that has defined them lately: Finishing as a barely mediocre .500 team with little hope of attaining more. Buffalo closes out its season with games against divisional lightweights Miami and the Jets.

Spiller thrills

With a rushing effort of 56 yards on Sunday, Bills running back C.J. Spiller would hit the 1,000 mark for the first time in his career. Not bad for a guy who has had just 144 carries.

The crowd rises

The notoriously sleepy Toronto football crowd surprised some with the way it rallied behind the Argos